Machine summary:
STROTHMANN HE PROGRESS of Islamic research assigns to us to-day a new task, that of elucidating the more intimate aspects of our subject: that is, we have to turn from a description and investigation of Islam in general towards that of its different formations, the so-called sects.
M. Madi has discussed the original sources of the Zaydi sect; it will be followed by corresponding essays on the Ithna-Asbarts and the Ibadiyyah.
78 f) we find the mention of persons whom the different Shl'ah-groups regard as res• ponsible for the split in Islam: (a) the Muslim majority, which swore allegiance to Abu Bakr instead of 'Ali; (b) 'Ali himself, because he re• signed his claim: ( c) the Prophet Muhammad, "because he did not make the problem [of the Caliphate] so clear as to render futile every objec• tion [against the election of 'Ali]"; (d ) Gabriel, because he brought the Revelation to Muhammad instead .
Only once there occurs in Kh a reference to a period with regard to a Shi'ah sub-sect (see below under No. 6): "Fudaykiyyah (No. 19) exist to-day in Bahrayn and Yamarnah, but no more in Basrah, Kufah or the jazlrah.
Only regarding the Mu'tazilah we find a mention of some persons representative of their school of thought, who have since become better known through the Mu'tazill Ibn al-Khayyat (Al-Intisar) and the quon• dam Mu'tazill, Ash'ari (Maqalat); but their writings are referred to only in general terms.